SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Sept 23: Poor patients in rural areas continue to suffer as the indefinite OPD boycott by government doctors in Sahibganj district entered its seventh day on Monday. Patients arriving at the OPDs of Sadar, Referral Hospital, Sub-Divisional Hospital, and six CHCs across the district are forced to return without treatment due to the ongoing strike.
The government doctors initiated the OPD boycott on September 16, protesting the district administration’s actions, including an FIR against a doctor for culpable homicide and the withholding of the civil surgeon’s salary. This followed the death of a six-year-old Pahadia girl, which the administration has linked to medical negligence.
Health Minister calls JHSA for talks on Sept 25
Health Minister Banna Gupta, taking note of the situation, has called a meeting with the Jharkhand Health Services Association (JHSA), the frontline organization representing government doctors, to discuss their demands on Wednesday. The minister was the chief guest at the IMA executive meeting held in Jamshedpur on Sunday, where the issue was raised.
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JHSA state secretary Dr. Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh met with the minister at the IMA meeting and brought up the ongoing harassment of doctors in Sahibganj.
“We raised the issues in Sahibganj, as well as the August 21 agenda given to the health department. The minister took serious note of the FIR against the doctor and the deputy commissioner’s directive concerning the salaries of doctors and paramedical staff. The minister immediately tried to discuss the matter with the principal secretary, but the internet connection was down,” Dr. Thakur said.
JHSA delegation to visit Sahibganj on Sept 26
Dr. Thakur further mentioned that a delegation from the state body will visit Sahibganj on September 26 to discuss the situation with the agitating doctors. On the same day, JHSA plans to announce a statewide agitation in response to the deputy commissioner’s actions.
He said that the delegation would have gone tomorrow, but due to the Chief Minister’s program in Chatra, it has been postponed to Wednesday.
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JHSA has outlined two main demands: withdrawal of the FIR against the doctor and the reversal of the order assigning the DDC to sign doctors’ pay slips instead of the civil surgeon. “The deputy commissioner issued this order, which should only be done by the department,” Dr. Singh explained.
Dr. Mohan Paswan, the coordinator of the OPD boycott, emphasized that the doctors are not interested in continuing the strike but feel forced to do so due to the district administration’s actions. “The administration has pushed us into this by lodging FIRs and taking other measures,” he said.
